All the single ladies, all the single ladies : young clergywomen’s experiences

Abstract

This qualitative research study examines the experience of young, single clergywomen in congregations across Canada. Because women have only been able to serve as ordained clergy in certain denominations in the last few generations, many young women are pioneers in their contexts today. The addition of the modern secular ‘hookup culture’ adds another layer of challenge for these young clergywomen. Using hermeneutical phenomenology as a method, participants were interviewed about their experiences in ministry. The selected participants were ordained clergy actively serving a congregation, female, identified as single, and were under 30 years of age. Some themes addressed in the context of this study are loneliness, dating, stress, and boundaries, all of which impact the well-being of the clergyperson, and, ultimately, their congregation and the Church as a whole.